Stewart/Cassier Highway

There were a number of difficult days for us before we started down this route.  Jim and I both caught a nasty virus that kept us in one place for four days with Jim and then four days at a different place for me.  Fortunately, Canada has good health service and we were able to see doctors and get medication.  Still, we both spent several days in bed fighting fever and a hacking cough.  Finally, on a misty, rainy day, we headed out once again.  We turned south on the Stewart/Cassier Highway.  The funny or odd thing about this highway, our GPS did not want to route us down it.  We entered in destinations of several different places on the highway and each time the GPS created a route that would cover more than 1300 miles and take us on a huge loop.  Once we were on our way, we could see why.  The surface of the road was pretty good but it was narrow, winding and had drop-off shoulders that made my nerves jangle.

We were absolutely heading out into wilderness territory from the standpoint of conveniences.  We had planned our days carefully as gas stations that sold diesel were not plentiful.  In addition, along much of this road, electricity was not readily available much less cell service.  On the other hand, the scenery was beautiful and we knew that it would ultimately take us to Stewart-Harder and a new adventure.

The villages that we traveled through were few and far between.  Most of them consisted of three or four businesses and a hand full of cabins.  We could tell that life out here must be harsh and a challenge.  The biggest place we passed was Jade City.  Not really a city but rather a business that sold Jade mined in British Columbia.  We stopped to take a look but I had little energy for shopping much less the cold wind and drizzle.  Once we turned on the Stewart-Hyder Access Road, we knew that the trip down this route was well worth the effort.  Take a trip with us down a road less taken.

You can see the surface of the road was pretty good but center lines were rare and shoulders often dropped off with the promise of rolling your vehicle.  In many places, we could see where wildfires had left their mark on the forest.  Still, it was beautiful and different from what we had seen before.

Lakes such as this one were plentiful.  On both sides of the roadway, we saw many streams, creeks, lakes and rivers.  The land was a type of tundra with standing water visible all around.

Mountains rose all around us with the colors of Fall visible.  If only I could paint what I saw or better yet, needlepoint it!

 In one area, we passed many poles laying on the side of the road.  At first we though perhaps they had fallen but soon learned that they were part of a two year project to bring electricity to this area.  As we traveled, we came to this area where the big towers were already in place just waiting for the poles and wires to be strung.  And I was whining about not having cell service!

 Finally, we reached the Stewart-Hyder Access Road.  Immediately, we began to travel downward between mountains on one side and river on the other.  It was clear that this would be a beautiful drive.

We saw glimpses of the Bear Glacier in the distance at first.  With each successive curve, it got larger and large until we finally came to a small lake.  The glacier terminated at the lake.  If you had a canoe or kayak you could paddle right up to the beautiful blue ice and experience the glacier on a personal level.  All we could do was look up and enjoy the view.

As we traveled, the mist and clouds began to reveal waterfalls and glaciers in the distance.  There were many, many waterfalls cascading over shear cliffs.  The sound of the water was loud but pleasing to the ears.

Another waterfall, the last before we arrived at Stewart.